Devastating news reports from Switzerland show that dozens of people have died during New Year celebrations.
“Around 40 people have died and 115 are injured, many severely,” Frédéric Gisler, police commander for canton Valais, told reporters.
The incident occurred in the crowded bar at around 1.30am on January 1, Valais police said.
The injured have been transported to various hospitals across Switzerland, including Sion, Lausanne, Bern, Geneva and Zurich.
In Sion, 60 people are being looked after; in Lausanne 22 patients are currently being cared for, while Zurich has admitted over a dozen burn victims.
Other countries – including France, Germany and Italy – have offered to treat patients with severe burns.
The forensic institute in Zurich has already been given a mandate to carry out an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, she said.
But authorities admit that the identifications of the injured and those killed is going to take time.
However, the cause of the blaze, was initially reported as an explosion. Authorities said it appeared to be an accident rather than an attack.
